What are your go-to Finishes?

Question

Hey Everyone,

I am in the process of flipping a modest home in the Detroit area.  What are your go-to paint colors for walls and cabinets?  I'm tempted to stay light and neutral since it is a smaller home and I want to appeal to a broad audience, but is that a mistake and should I do something more catchy like an accent color on the cabinets?

Would love to hear from seasoned pros!

Thank you,

Caitlyn

James Jones · Answer

Stay light and neutral, your instinct's right.

On a flip you're not decorating, you're removing objections. Neutral walls and light cabinets photograph well, make a small home feel bigger, and let any buyer picture their stuff in it. A bold cabinet color is a taste test, everyone who doesn't share it deducts the cost of repainting. You're narrowing your buyer pool for nothing.

What I'd run: one warm greige or soft white through the whole house, same color everywhere so it flows. White or soft-neutral cabinets. If you want interest, put it on the island only, muted navy or green, perimeter stays light. But only if the kitchen's big enough to have one, otherwise keep it all light.

Get your personality from the cheap, changeable stuff, matte black or brass hardware, a light fixture, the front door. That's current and pops without committing a whole kitchen to a color half your buyers will want gone.

Neutral sells faster, and on a flip that speed is your profit.

Jules Aton · Answer

I use Sherwin Williams Dover white on the entire place including ceilings in class A neighborhoods. Still using white shaker cabinets, light color quartz with full slab back splash. Hardwood or laminate floors everwhere except bath. If I was doing other than class A or B I'd consider laminate kitchen counter and sheet goods bathroom floors-there is actually some nice looking stuff available but class A would balk of course.

Caleb Brown · Answer

Light and neutral. Makes it feel warm and open. You can do black or gold accents/hardware. Nothing too bold but to add a unique touch

Stacy Raskin · Answer

Neutral is the way to go to appeal to the largest possible audience. I have had renters ask me before why a bathroom was painted a certain non neutral color. Making it light and bright with the paint and the cabinets will help to make it look more appealing. I would also avoid carpet as that was another item that came up many times from prospective renters- that they didn't like carpet. As far as the exact colors, I would make the light color consistent throughout the home for the paint. Getting ideas for color online can be helpful. I don't have a specific set of colors that are always used but generally they are light and neutral.

Richard F. · Answer

To each their own, but in nearly 30 years I never painted a unit "one warm greige or soft white through the whole house, same color everywhere". This was for rentals, not flips, but even the low end rentals got the same treatment we used across the board. Yes, we used a Birch White, BUT all trim was "gloss", kitchen and bath walls were "semi-gloss" (for easier cleaning), and the walls were eggshell or satin. Ceilings were always a "high hide white". You really need some contrast and definition to create any interest. We also would usually add a single accent wall in the main livingroom, and sometimes in a bedroom if they were large enough. For a flip, one or two walls are not going to cost you a deal as long as they are not hideous!

Flooring, always removed all carpet, and for many years (before LVP came along) installed vinyl commercial tile. Larger kitchens and baths would get a checkerboard pattern, smaller ones would get the same Armstrong Sandrift White. These tiles are virtually impervious to damage, and when properly polished show extremely well. They would still be my choice for low end rentals and many C properties, due to their durability which is far greater than any LVP I have seen to date.

Cabinets, must be professionally painted to "look right", but you do need to be careful of color choice. One thing for sure, paint the interior of all cabinets a light color, especially under counter cabs. I do agree that new hardware and fixtures can add tremendously, do not cheap out with the hardware!

What are your go-to Finishes?

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